Indeed. Massive credit to Faber carrying on with this game for so long. I can't imagine it's a lot of fun for him yet he is always very punctual at sending back turns. I for one don't begrudge him this tactical victory.

Indeed. Massive credit to Faber carrying on with this game for so long. I can't imagine it's a lot of fun for him yet he is always very punctual at sending back turns. I for one don't begrudge him this tactical victory.

Overall a fairly quiet few days with the usual fare in CentPac = fairly ineffectual bombing of Iwo Jima and continuing B29 night bombing of Osaka/Kyoto (Faber has moved in about 50 additional day fighters fling at night which has caused far fewer hits on the city over the past 2 nights BUT has led to about 10-20 Japs being downed each night for 4-5 B29's).

--------------------

SRA:

My Brit CV/CVE's took parting shots at the Japs as they withdrew to Singapore. I made an error and forgot to reduce the range on some of my TB groups so they attacked Hong Kong's port in reduced numbers and in fragmeents on the 24th. I did lose 30 valuable men and machines BUT the attacks gained valuable intel:

Faber's had no chance with that IMO. He's had an ever decreasing access to SRA oil centres leading to no access to any of them since November 1944. That coupled with mass destruction to Japanese industry (Osaka view attached) = no hope IMO.

I won't present the usual monthly summary update as the game will most likely end within the next month and I'll provide a total summary then.

In short December saw few further territorial gains but a further massive reduction of Japanese industry (netting a further 6,200 additional VP's).

I'll most likely invade Iwo Jima in January just to take some further action. I could just 'sit back' and let the B29's win the war but I may even move my CV's up to Japan to have a snipe towards the end as well.

-----------------

Quite a quiet 4 last days of December. The usual B29 raids over Osaka, fairly ineffectual bombing of Iwo Jima and the slow battering of Japs at Cagayan and Praboemoelih.

Brit CV's have left Singapore again and will be off Hong Kong within 2-3 days time for more fun and games.

Indeed. Massive credit to Faber carrying on with this game for so long. I can't imagine it's a lot of fun for him yet he is always very punctual at sending back turns. I for one don't begrudge him this tactical victory.

Yes. well said.

Just caught up to this and being the guys who had half the KB sunk by a 22 knot BB TF I understand Castor Tory's position noted earlier.

The one confusing part to me in your listing is that you say the ships attacked at night and yet your report states Daytime. It also says 4k yards, so that makes me think for some reason there was low visibility, which is the only thing that could have let these quick ships dart in for a little surprise.

I do think the neutered power of combat ships in CV TFs is a bit hard to swallow though regardless of the other potential factors involved here.

< Message edited by obvert -- 11/19/2013 6:15:53 PM >

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

'Fortunately' CV Indefatigable only has 26 SYS Damage and light FLT/ENG damage. The annoying this is this caused my CV stack to all retreat back towards Singapore and they didn't launch any daylight raids. Brilliant day lads. Just brilliant.

To cap is off the SC TF escorting my CV TF's bumped into Yamato and had a total failure with my gunners not able to hit a barn door and BB Howe's magazine exploded. Fantastic. BB New Mexico and CL Ceylon also sunk meaning I need a further 850 VP's to get AV. Nice work guys really nice work. ^*£^*£^)^£)""*$%*)!

Then SS Snook hit CA Maya with a torpedo returning to Hong Kong after blowing up the SC TF.

-----------------

The only other news to note is Mariana based B29's shifted their target to Tokyo's AF's packed with over 800 planes. I've stopped these night raids now though as I lost 18 x B29 for about 80 enemy planes.

Once a couple more CV TF's reach back on station of Iwo Jima in the next 3 days I'll invade Iwo Jima (tired of waiting and the fort levels mean bombing causes such little damage) and then probably send my CV's up to Japan for a final showdown to finish off Japan and force them to the table.

The only saving grace is the large Eng Rgt is in full condition. The Marines are out of it though. I'll probably try an attack in many days time and hope the Engineers reduce the forts. If not Iwo will not fall before game end.

My CV's have moved northwards and will be 6 hexes south of Tokyo tomorrow. I'm not planning any offensive strikes tomorrow as I want to absorb anything the Japs throw at me. There's a reported 750 fighters at Tokyo alone

My B29's will begin operations again in a day or 2 time.

----------------------

SRA:

Fairly quiet here as my CV's headed back to Singapore starting on the 8th. Raids were launched on Hong Kong's port on the 6th and 7th. Both Yamato and Kirishima are in port and were hit with 20ish bombs. Once I've re-armed at Singapore I'll be back again.

Wow the Iwo operation looks like it could be bloody! Do you think you are likely to make auto victory by the end of the year?

As a relative newbie does the game check for Auto victory continuously or just at set points such as the end of the year?

I also wanted to mention my admiration for your opponent who is somehow keeping the turns flowing whilst being slaughtered! Although I guess sinking those CVEs of yours brought a much needed morale boost

Powloon: I should get AV within the month! I only need 3000 more VP's to do so. Strategic bombing and CV raids on Japan should secure that and force the Japanese to surrender.

JocMeister: I don't think so either but it's a mute point now. I'll try 1 attack in the next week or so and if that doesn't work I'll sit there until game end in the next month. I have 1 more ID prepped for it but won't send it in as it won't make enough of a difference.

Japan felt the power of the Allies when on the 10th January The CV Armada arrived south of Tokyo. Over the past 3 days a series of sweeps over Tokyo and failed raids against my CV's (sometimes encountering 500 x Hellcat on CAP) have lead to over 500 enemy planes reported destroyed for the loss of 70 Friendlies. I even encountered some Nates!

I'll probably attack Tokyo's AF's in a few days time and then the B29's will begin to bomb Tokyo again from the Mariana's.

All quiet on Iwo Jima as my men rest and supplies flow ashore.

---------------

SRA:

My CV's will be back in Singapore on 13th January. We'll re-arm and head back to Hong Kong to try and sink the ships in port there.